- May Thurner syndrome occurs when an artery presses on a vein and causes a clot.
- The cardiologist told DailyMail.com that sitting alone for an uninterrupted hour is risky.
- READ MORE: Lauren Boebert returns to the campaign trail days after surgery
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Doctors are warning about the risks of sitting for too long after Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert underwent emergency surgery for a blood clot in her leg.
Rep. Boebert, who represents Colorado’s 3rd District, has May Thurner syndrome, which occurs when an artery presses on a vein, causing a blood clot in the leg that travels to the heart.
She underwent emergency surgery to remove the clot and prevent it from traveling from her leg to her lungs, blocking blood flow to them.
About one in five women has May Thurner syndrome, which can cause swelling, heaviness or fullness in the left leg or foot, ulcers or open sores in the legs due to problems with veins that do not heal, and varicose veins in the leg.
Dr. Bethany Barone Gibbs, a cardiologist at West Virginia University, told DailyMail.com that sitting alone for an hour without getting up to stretch your legs is enough to increase the risk of a blood clot.
Rep. Boebert of Colorado is reportedly recovering well after emergency surgery to remove a blood clot.
Representative Boebert had a stent implanted in the vein to expand it and therefore break up the clot, restoring healthy blood flow to and from the heart.
May Thurner syndrome is more common in women, specifically women who have had children.
This could be due to several factors. Women tend to have wider pelvises compared to men, and the left iliac vein passes between the spine and the right iliac artery, which crosses it.
Pregnancy and childbirth involve major hormonal changes, including increased levels of estrogen and progesterone, which could affect the elasticity of blood vessels and contribute to the compression of veins, leading to restricted blood flow.
Normally, veins and arteries carry blood continuously throughout the body. Arteries take oxygen-rich blood from the heart and deliver it to tissues throughout the body, and veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart and lungs.
But in May Thurner’s case, the right iliac artery is pressing on the left iliac vein.
The right iliac artery is the main blood vessel that carries blood to the right leg and the left iliac vein carries blood from the left leg to the heart. May-Thurner syndrome can disrupt typical blood flow through the legs.
The exact cause of the disorder is still under investigation, but studies have suggested that prolonged sitting plays an important role.
Dr Gibbs said: “It really has to be prolonged because what happens is that when the circulation is really stimulated by the contraction of the muscles, that is a really amazing physiological condition that allows the heart to pump and gravity to reach our feet. “.
Sitting for as little as an hour to about four hours without getting up for about 10 minutes is enough to cause a blood clot in the leg, Dr. Gibbs said, although scientists have not yet determined the definitive number of hours needed to cause a blood clot. clot.
Dr Gibbs told DailyMail.com: ‘When you’re sitting, you’re not using your muscles, so a very important part of your circulation is not active.
‘That’s why in the old days, when we didn’t have computers, they used to say to wear compression socks or stand up a little on airplanes. That prolonged session was not as common as it is now.’
It is unclear what caused Rep. Boebert’s condition. To remedy the clot, doctors inserted a balloon to open the vein and a tube-shaped stent to keep the vein open.
His campaign said: “After taking the time off recommended by doctors, he is expected to make a full recovery without significant concerns for his long-term health and without obstacles to his ability to perform his duties as a congressman.”